Various devices can be switched between a reference mode and an attenuated mode by the use of a switched parallel resistance. For example, a Pi-pad attenuator can include transistors on the legs of the Pi-pad to turn on and off each of the legs from an “attenuation mode” (switched on) to a “reference mode” or “floating mode” (switched off). Ideally, with the transistor turned on the input signal only sees the parallel resistance at the node and with the transistor turned off the input signal only sees an open circuit at the node. However, transistors in the off state are not perfect open circuits: they have small internal conductance and capacitance. The capacitance, known as parasitic capacitance, is of particular concern for signals that contain high frequency components, as the frequency keeps on increasing capacitance starts to acts like a short circuit rather than an open circuit as desired. As it becomes more of a short circuit, any internal resistance/conductance is now seen by the RF signal. But most detrimental is the attenuating resistor that was intended to be left floating is now seen through the signal path and incurs loss to the system. The insertion loss caused by the parasitic capacitance in series with internal and external resistance (attenuating) increases as the frequency increases. This insertion loss can be known as “de-Qing” the circuit, as it lowers the Q (gain) value. Additionally, the parasitic capacitance with the parallel resistance degrades phase imbalance increasingly as the signal frequency increases. For lower frequencies, these losses might be within acceptable ranges, and so can be ignored for some designs; however, for high frequency circuits, the de-Qing and phase imbalance can be an issue.